Just like the J4MS, this will be a collaboration league between my brother and I. The rules will be the same as the original J4M, J4MS, and J4M2K progressives except for one minor detail; the players will go backwards, regressing into the beginning of their careers. Because of the regression, and the eventual loss of available players, we will begin as a 20-team league and contract in seasons as we lose RL teams. For example in 1961 &1962 MLB expanded 2 teams each season, so at the completion of the 1962 season we will contract 2 teams, and then after 1961 we will contract 2 more and continue as a 16-team league the rest of the way.

CONTRACTION:Because we are starting with 20 teams, we will have 4 teams unaccounted for. These teams will be the original 1969 expansion teams (Montreal, San Diego, Kansas City, and Seattle). The players from these teams will be drafted in an inaugural contraction draft with a draft order set up based on your teams RL W%. Each RL team will have a predetermined number of picks they will be allowed to make from these contracted rosters (i.e., Baltimore will get up to 1 pick in the contraction draft, whereas CLE would get up to 6 picks in the contraction draft).

The details on the contraction draft will be detailed later, but the draft order and the number of picks allowed for each team will be determined by RL W%; with worse teams getting better, and more, picks.

Future Seasons:

KEEPERS:Due by the 135 game mark of each season; any owner that fails to do so runs the risk of losing his team. Teams may keep up to 30 players each year, plus injured reserve. Each team is allowed an unlimited number of IR slots for players who are not WIS-eligible in any given year. Each owner is responsible for keeping track of his IR players and making sure each year’s keeper list is correct. If you draft a player, he's yours until you cut him or he retires (rookies, in this league). Failure to list a player AND keep or draft 30 other players MAY result in forfeiture of said player or a compensatory draft pick at the discretion of the commissioner.

DRAFT PICKS:Unlike some progressives, you do NOT need to drop players to account for traded draft picks. (Some leagues have a rule whereby a team that, say, trades its 2nd round pick can keep no more than 23 players, in order to “free up” the traded 2nd round pick; the J4MR does not use this rule.) Each team will be allotted as many draft picks as necessary to reach 25 players, based on the total roster size of each team at the start of the draft. If, because of trades occurring during the draft, a team finds that it needs additional picks, those picks will be slotted at the very end of the draft.

AVAILABLE PLAYERS:Each season the commissioner will post a list of available players for the upcoming draft. This list will be compiled from the list of all WIS-eligible players in the given season, subtracting out all players listed as keepers. The available player list will be published shortly after the 135 game mark. Since the draft will not start until after the conclusion of the regular season, owners will have plenty of time in which to verify that the available player list is correct.
In the event that the commissioner makes a mistake, and a keeper is listed on the available players list, that player WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO BE DRAFTED (obviously, as per the rule above, he belongs to the other owner until he's cut or retired). Obviously, owners should help each other police the list – if you see someone listed as an available who looks too good to be true, it is likely that a mistake has been made; please point it out. If a player is not on an owners keepers list, but probably should have been, that pick will ONLY be valid if you sitemail the commissioner first. I, then, will make a decision based on the team gaining/losing said player to determine if the pick is valid or not. If you do not sitemail me first, the pick automatically goes to the team that originally owned him.

Similarly, if a player who should be eligible for the draft is not listed on the available list due to commissioner error, he may be drafted, though drafting an unlisted player will result in the loss of a draft pick of compensatory value from the following season (this is to encourage owners to point out missing players rather than horde them, while still allowing all players to be represented).

DRAFT ORDER:

This league will also use the formula created by J4M. However, there will be one minor change to the formula for this league (aside from the 24-20 team change). I've been wanting to make a minor adjustment to the formula for some time and have referenced it a few times in other leagues, but haven't implemented it as of yet. This league will be the test case for the minor change. If it appears like it's not working as planned or that adjustments need made, they WILL be made until everything works right – much like in how the formula was refined over the seasons in the original J4M.

MISSED PICKS:If an owner misses a pick in rounds 1-3, all subsequent picks in that round must occur during their scheduled time slot. In other words, no picking ahead of your time slot in the first three rounds unless all owners before you have picked. For rounds 4 and beyond, an owner may pick as long as the owner immediately ahead of him has selected.

PROXIES:If you will be away during your pick, you have two options:
(a) post a public proxy in the league forums OR
(b) send a proxy to the commissioner and the two-three owners immediately following you AND post in the league forum draft thread that you have done this.

As long as you do either of these two things, your proxy will be honored, even if the owner posting for you posts late. All owners are expected to honor proxies responsibly

General Rules:

Team Name:Must be the same as in RL, may include season (e.g., Chicago Cubs, 1969 Chicago Cubs, '69 Chicago Cubs, Chicago Cubs - 1969, Chicago Cubs '69, etc., are all allowed; 1969 Cubs, Just4me's Cubbies, etc., are not allowed.)AAA:6/6 below average - AAA will not be allowed for use until after the 1961season. With 20 teams we will be able to draft more than enough PA/IP, and will allow teams to carry a roster of 30 players (25MLB/5AAA). Generated AAA will be available for trading purposes only until 1961; at which point the # of available players will be evaluated to determine if additional BA AAA is needed.DH:NoTrades: No restrictions. Trading is encouraged!! (If you trade a draft pick more than 2 seasons in advance, a $10GC to the commish is required. This will be returned for you upon entering the next season. If you leave after the current season, the $10 will be used to bring in another owner.

WW: No

Salary Cap:noneStadiums:Must use teams RL stadium for the appropriate season.Relocation: Teams must relocate and/or change team names as appropriate with current season.Contraction:After the 1962 season, we will contract the 2 teams that have the lowest cumulative winning percentage over the previous 3 seasons (62, 63, 64).

If an owner is in the bottom two, yet wishes to remain in the league theywill be put on a wait list. If another owner in the league wants out, then the wait listedowner can take their place (and may keep their original team**). The two contracted teams rosters will then be put into the pool of players available for therookie draft.

Tanking:The J4MR is designed for managers who want to play WIS competitively and manage their teams to the best of their ability. Tanking is completely discouraged. Because of the unique formula, winning as much as possible is the only way guarantee a good pick.

**Rule exception: If the owner in the bottom 2 teams has been in the league less than 3 seasons he will have the option of remaining in the league if another owner wants out. He will be able to choose to keep his franchise, or take the leaving owners team.

League Prizes:

Assuming the league goes five seasons and we keep at least half of the inaugural owners the $50 prize from admin will be distributed as five $10 GC as follows:

Best Cumulative RecordThis goes to the owner who has the best overall W% with a minimum three season played in the league.

Best Cumulative Draft ScoreThis goes to the owner who has achieved the best draft score with a minimum three season played in the league. The formula is applied to the cumulative salaries/wins over the 5 year period (or 3 for owners who have not participated in all 5 seasons).

Random PrizeThis will be randomly distributed to any single current owner in the league, myself excluded. Owners with two teams will have two chances.

Longevity AwardThis will be randomly distributed to any single current owner who has been with the league from the inaugural season, myself excluded.

*Wildcard*This will be changed up every 5 seasons to give some variety and allow for other goals or prizes. For the 1st go around, given that this started as a reply league, I thought it would be interesting to give a prize to the owner/team (current team owner would get the prize) that has had the best success (comparing wins) versus their real life counterpart over the same 5 seasons. For the 2nd go around it will go to the owner who had the most the better than a playoff team, not make the playoffs (Example: you win 90 games and your division mate wins 100, while the other division leader wins 89 games…etc), with the tiebreaker for # of eligible seasons being number of wins ahead of the playoff team(s) over this span.

If anyone has any other ideas they'd like to throw out for a vote for the wildcard option let me know.

*On rewards that do not specify, the commissioner is eligible.

Commissioner:

Commissioner reserves the right to settle all disputes and to rule on any situation not explicitly covered in these rules.

If you have any questions - please feel free to sitemail myself or my brother, just4me.

This league was never advertised to the public before and was filled through invite only. We are opening it up to the public for the first time - so get in this great league while you can! :) A lot of great, respected owners!

We haven't drafted yet, which gives a new owner a chance to make some real improvements to this team. The draft placement system gives no incentive to tank. The commissioner has done an outstanding job of keeping everyone informed, and being open and receptive to new ideas. There is a lot of good quality, playful banter on the message board. This is a very good league.

looking for owner for the St. Louis Cardinals - they have an excellent roster and should be a contender now and in the future.

With an offense with White, Torre, Pinson, Brock, and Flood they are definitely gonna give pitchers a hard time - have some great trade value with McCarver, Davillio etc - team will be picking 8th in the 1st round